Hurricane Melissa disrupts Caribbean travel, carriers, cruise lines shift plans

MIAMI--Hurricane Melissa lashed Jamaica on Tuesday with strong winds and heavy rain, and travel operators moved fast to keep people out of the storm’s path. Jamaican officials estimated about 25,000 visitors were in the country. Airports on the island closed, all flights were canceled, and overflights were diverted around the system.

Forecast tracks pointed Melissa between Nassau and Turks and Caicos on Wednesday. Providenciales and Nassau airports remained open, and early guidance suggested the storm would pass east of major Bahamian tourist hubs such as Grand Bahama and Paradise Island.

Airlines adjusted policies and capacity. Delta and JetBlue waived change fees for travelers to or from Kingston, Montego Bay, and Providenciales. Air Canada added a weekend flight to Jamaica and upgauged an aircraft to move roughly 600 passengers back to Canada before conditions worsened.

Impacts rippled across the region. A handful of flights serving eastern Cuba, including services from Miami and Toronto, were canceled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Havana’s José Martí International, outside the core track, operated normally.

Cruise companies reworked itineraries to steer clear of the weather. Carnival shifted calls from Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic, and the Cayman Islands to ports in Honduras, Belize, and Mexico. MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line each modified one sailing. Royal Caribbean rerouted Icon of the Seas from St. Maarten to Mexico and Honduras. Odyssey of the Seas, crossing the Atlantic from Rome, skipped the Azores for the Canary Islands to give the storm a wider berth.

U.S. authorities advised Americans in affected areas to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which helps deliver alerts and updates during emergencies.

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